Governments across Europe are telling people and businesses to reduce energy use. Do they know something we don't?

[cakeorwine]

It feels like Covid again. Warning signs of an issue. But no action taken.

I know there are people who will reduce usage because of the increased costs.

But there is still a lot of waste and things where energy usage can be reduced to ensure that we have enough gas and electricity available during a demanding winter.

The media has advice on reducing use. There are schemes to encourage people to use electricity outside of peak time.

But shouldn't the Government be leading on this?

Yayzers!

Elite tap dancing to power my toaster. I thank you.

Do you think it's a good idea, when there is a gas shortage due to war, and increased prices, to encourage people to reduce their use, for the greater good?

Not if I go cold
or have to turn off things I’d rather have in.

not my circus not my monkeys

If someone I know or care about is struggling I’ll help them. It a perfect stranger who means nothing to me - not my problem

Would you prefer to use things that you would rather have and risk energy blackouts, or reduce the use of things that aren't essential and reduce the risk of energy blackouts?

Unless you are totally off grid, then energy blackouts will affect you as well.

If only there was a way of reducing the risk of them.

They will but I do have a generator which I can power if the power goes out.

With the price increases the energy companies are going to get more and more money for supplying less and less.
What could possibly be fairer than that?

Well, your contribution to this thread has been very helpful

Min 18° - Max 21° would be good.
I've managed to get mine down to 20°.

It does have a pre covid feel doesn't it. Some of us watching a potential crash coming and others merrily steering into it. Government appear to be taking the head in the sand approach again and we all know how well that turned out.

Can't deny that when JRM thought we should conserve energy and do a PSA on it I was concerned.

Truss however seems to think it's bossy to advise people to do the right thing.

I could go a lifetime without hearing the words the greater good again. That goodwill is spent.

Well you will until it gets rationed. And then no doubt it will be everyone else's fault for using too much. And in any event it's better for the climate to conserve fuel.

I find it quite astonishing that people have your viewpoint actually. Can you really not see that conserving energy is a good thing?

Do you want power blackouts?

It's hardly a hardship to ask people to reduce their house temperature and to maybe think if they really need to use their power consuming electrical devices.

Or to lower swimming pool temperatures, reduce energy use at night in public spaces etc.

A lot of small actions can add up

Well, ideally no - but when they produce the messaging about this then it should be build around pragmatic rules and limitations and not a lot of Billy bullshit emotional blackmail.

I can just imagine it now...

A montage of sad looking people, a bit of sad music in the background, wrapped up with the emotional kicker .... "Look me in the eyes and tell me you needed that second cup of tea"

I am sure they could take some inspiration from WW2 posters.

Yes, I expect this is how it will go. It’s not that europe knows anything we don’t, it’s that our government is not doing anything about it when others are. Careful use by everyone now might mean stocks of gas could be eased through by most people making choices of what to cut when, not being restricted. I imagine it’s possible we will see either rationing (if the infrastructure can do that) in peak periods so you can only use so much at one time, or rolling blackouts where you are switched off for peak periods some days. Whether we will or not is anyone’s guess. National grid have said it’s possible. I don’t have the figures of storage and usage to make an estimate. But other governments do, and I’d trust theirs over our ‘Too Little, Too Late’ Conservatives led by ‘oooh, what does this button do the economy!? Liz Truss.

my business my home my bill.

if I can afford it I’ll use it

Climate crisis? or doesn't it exist in your world?

They really knew how to make posters in those days

We do now. Centri a has gas storage capacity.

Yes just got a letter in the post from our mairie telling us that everything ne must try to use 15% less electricity this year, in order to avoid cuts.It’s been a few years since all lights in the village have been turned off at 10 at night. There is a real collective will here and a belief that this is how it should be anyway.
Then you hear about the Winter Olympics being held in Saudi and you go wtf.

I tap danced as a child! Happy to learn again and help!

But shouldn't the Government be leading on this?

They would be accused of scaremongering like with the pandemic. Our government doesn't do preparing contingency plans- they wing it and say shit like "bUt LaBoUr..."